While some stars begin to wind down their illustrious careers, others are only just kicking off.
Every year, new elite talents of our game are discovered, some rookies biding their time in lower grades, some are in their mid-20s just waiting for their big break.
Regardless of circumstance, every club has at least one teetering on the edge of their chair all pre-season, just waiting for February to come around so they can prove themselves in the trials.
Who will be your club's breakout star of 2023? Let's dive in and have a look.
12. Parramatta Eels
There's a lot of 'breakout' candidates for Parramatta in 2023 after their mass exodus of talent, however J'maine Hopgood is shaping up to be as good as any of them for the Eels this year. Having lost Isaiah Papalii to the Wests Tigers, there's a vacant spot in the Eels back-row.
Enter Hopgood.
The former Panther is expected to start at lock for the first three matches with Ryan Matterson suspended, however it's shaping up for Matterson to return on an edge, and leaving Hopgood in the middle. Originally touted as a future Maroon, this lock forward's career is only just starting.
